The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

“You can’t be serious,” I said with a laugh. “Let me buy you another drink, David. Seriously, drunk is the only time you were ever funny.”

“Rose,” he said low as his fingers stroked my arm.

“Get your fucking hand off me now,” I said without an ounce of femininity.

“There hasn’t been a day I haven’t thought about you,” he said as his mouth spewed pure bullshit.

“Oh lord, David, take care. You’ve got a lot further to fall.”

“You don’t have to be a bitch,” he hissed. “I wanted to apologize.”

“Then apologize to the lady and make it fast before I make it painful,” Jack hissed behind me. I felt the heat radiate from him as I took a step back in surprise.

David chuckled with disdain, his eyes cutting to Jack as he sipped his bourbon. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your boyfriend, Rose?”

“No need,” Jack said, stepping in front of me as his face turned dark and his voice deadly. “Allow me to introduce myself. Jack Sawyer, bred Lousian’. That makes me your neighbor.”

“Nice to meet you, Jack,” David spit out with absolutely no civility.

Without missing a beat, Jack continued, “Pleasures all mine, asshole. Now about that apology, I want her to have it, and then I want to part ways.”

David laughed and I could feel the tension in Jack as he did everything he could to keep from touching him.

“David, you’re out of your league here,” I pleaded as I saw Jack make up his mind.

“Am I now? Well, at least you still fear for me, darlin’,” he drawled out in attempt to mock Jack. “I apologize.”

“I’m so glad you left me. Hindsight is blinding me right now. Seriously, David, you are scum.”

“Awww now, Rose, we had some good times. Remember when—”

&n

bsp; In a flash, Jack had David’s tie pulled taught around his neck, choking him as he pinned him to the bar. “Don’t finish that. I’m asking you nicely. We’re neighbors and we need to behave as such. I was raised to drag the trash to the curb before I get rid of it. If that’s that case here—” he eyed David with menace “—I have no problem doing that. You regret throwing her away. It’s evident. You’re a fucking idiot for doing it. Maybe you should learn a lesson about regrets tonight. So I’m going to ask you again not to finish that sentence so we can part ways.” Jack let go of him abruptly just as the bartender came over to assess the situation. I was shaking, as well as David, who could do very little to hide it. Jack kept his eyes glued to David’s in challenge as he lifted his wallet out of his pocket and threw several bills onto the bar.

“Drinks on me, neighbor,” he muttered with confidence as he grabbed my hand and led me to the door. I didn’t look back.

After a silent drive back to my house, Jack turned to me and started to speak. I pushed the door open and let myself out of the car. He objected profusely as he rounded the car and handed me my keys.

“I’m sorry,” I said, embarrassed. I’d spent the drive home stunned by David’s sudden appearance and behavior, but at the same time completely fascinated by Jack. I’d forced myself to look anywhere but directly at him because the truth was, as terrified as I’d been for David’s safety, I was a little bit turned on by the whole thing. As I looked at Jack standing in the front of my car, my headlights still on, I found myself comfortable in his eyes, as if a weight had been lifted.

“Don’t be sorry for someone else’s behavior. It’s not your cross to bear.”

I nodded, too tired to decipher my current emotions.

“Night, Jack,” I whispered as I quickly made my way up to my porch.

“Rose, stop,” he said, his voice filled with authority. I stood with my hand on my door and waited for him to continue. The night had gone from promising to disastrously bad, and I still wasn’t sure whose fault it was, aside from David’s.

“Yes?” I asked, turning to look back at him, trying to seem indifferent. I was pretty sure both of us knew I wasn’t. He stayed put at the foot of the deck as he watched me.

I waited, unable to look at him.

“Get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Actually, you won’t. I’m back on at the hospital tomorrow, so thank you for dinner.”

“Rose?” Jack started up the steps and I cut him off with my posture, no longer willing to play games. I felt too raw, too vulnerable. My emotions were way too apparent. Maybe I wasn’t ready, or maybe he was drawing them out of me.